If you’ve scrolled through the Reddit app lately, you might have seen a live stream of somebody playing music or talking to the camera. That’s because the site is currently testing a feature that could give it a leg up on platforms like Twitch and YouTube.
It’s called RPAN, and it lets eligible users broadcast a video from their mobile phones to a new subreddit on the platform. Streams that get enough upvotes will also appear on Reddit’s front page during the five-day test period, which ends next week. Reddit says it’s “being incredibly judicious with the rollout” and is creating additional policies for those using RPAN. That means that if your content violates Reddit’s general guidelines, such as pornography or illegal or dangerous behavior, it won’t be available on the r/pan subreddit. Also, your stream should not promote ideologies that “average Redditors may find highly offensive or upsetting” or that spread hoaxes.
To start a stream, go to the r/pan subreddit and click the Stream button on the bottom right. From there, you can choose whether to use your front or back camera and add a description of your stream. You can also share your stream on other social media sites or a website.
Most popular twitch streams use the Reddit platform to promote themselves. This is because it’s a community-based site, and getting your stream in front of the right people can help you grow your audience. However, some twitch streamers struggle with promoting themselves on the site. One way to improve your chances of being featured on a popular subreddit is to create a niche-specific subreddit for your stream and communicate on it regularly.
